Epping Forest, Royal forest in northeast London, England.
Epping Forest is a woodland in northeast London covering roughly 2476 hectares between Forest Gate and Epping, including old tree stands, meadows, streams, wetlands, and ponds. The terrain alternates between dense groves with gnarled oaks, open grassy areas, and damp lowlands crossed by walking paths.
Henry III granted the area royal status in the 12th century and used it as hunting grounds for the court. Queen Victoria opened the grounds to the public in 1882, ending centuries of aristocratic hunting.
The name of this woodland recalls the era when English monarchs hunted here and guarded the land closely. Today local residents use the open clearings for picnics and the old tree groves for weekend walks, while riders follow wide paths through the hills.
Numerous marked paths run through the woodland and suit walking, cycling, or riding through different landscape zones. Good footwear helps on the partly uneven and muddy sections, especially after rainfall.
The soil consists of shallow fine gravel left by glaciers during ice ages, preventing any agricultural use. This soil type preserved the trees and meadows for centuries from clearing and plowing.
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